Republicans Still Pushing "Insane" Concealed Carry Bill

October 20, 2011 9:36 am ET —
Matt Gertz

An NRA-backed bill that would force states to
recognize the concealed carry permits of all other states - even those with
dangerously lax standards — continues to move forward in Congress. According to
reports,
supporters could seek to add it to a Senate appropriations bill as soon as this
week.

In the House, the bill was intended to receive a
vote during last week's markup in the Judiciary Committee, but was instead
delayed through this week's recess. According to the Huffington Post, the bill will
receive a vote next week and will almost assuredly pass.

In a video for the coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns, Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker criticized the bill
as "insane," pointing out that it would put civilians and law enforcement "at
risk":

Booker isn't
alone in warning of the dangers of this bill. The
International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Major Cities Chiefs
Association, and the Police Foundation are all sounding the alarm, warning that
police officers will be put in jeopardy if the bill passes.

House Republicans have blocked all attempts to tweak
the bill to prevent potentially dangerous individuals from taking advantage of
it. During the Judiciary Committee markup, Republicans beat back
Democratic amendments intended to prevent misdemeanant sex
offenders, those on the Terrorist Watch List, those with misdemeanor
convictions for stalking, and those who have been the subjects of domestic
protection orders in the last ten years from carrying guns legally outside
their home states.

In an advertisement in The Boston Globe
on Wednesday, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence honed in on the domestic
violence offender issue, urging Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) to oppose the
legislation. While Massachusetts allows permits to be issued only to "suitable
persons," giving law enforcement discretion to deny them to domestic violence
misdemeanants and subjects of protection orders, under the bill individuals who
do not meet those standards could seek permits from other states with more
lenient standards.